Wannabe a photographer or a photographer wannabe?
What is it with some people. or should I say, what is it with photographer wannabes?
Originally posted Jan 4th 2009
Since the digital camera was invented any idiot can now claim to be a photographer.
Take here in malaysia for example. When I arrived to this country around seven years ago, there were, I think around three big studios, each with a hundreds of assistants running around like ants, serving their big mamma queen ant.
Then, digital became more affordable, and some how assistants thought they have become professional over night, went out and bought a digital, quit their jobs, and all opened up their own studios.
that’s not all, they go and steal their old bosses clients.. such great ethics, and to put the icing on the cake, or i could go as far as say cherry on the icing, the clients are happier cos they can all get the same crap quality for half the cost… BARGAIN!!
What happened to honor amongst thieves?
Have the days long gone since an assistant photographer went to art or photography school, knows a little about the camera, even how to print a basic black and white photograph? christ, If I asked half the photographers here if they knew what an f-stop is, they would probably reply a trendy bar or something, or clothing range.
its not just photographer wannabes, its also stylist or art directors.. doesnt anyone realize, to work in the arts, you have to study art, know abit about it at least, not just wake up one day and say, “today im gonna be a stylist and write a book on how people should dress”, or, “im such a good art director for a big ad agency, i dont have to use my brain, i will just steal everyone elses”.
You will all be judged, Boo!
People need to be educated, that art is an art, its not a doss or just a ‘cushy job’
Think of it like throwing out your rubbish, if you dont bother to throw it out, soon, you will be knee deep in shit.
This brings me to a ‘simple task’ I gave to a bunch of photographers. The position, assistant photographer at a magazine here in KL.
Before I was an assistant, I had the same task thrown at me, the task was, go out in the street and shoot a roll of film.. simple right? yes, actually it is simple, bloody simple, any idiot can do it, especially if the idiot really wanted a job as an assistant photographer.
The point of the task was, i wanted to see what someone can do without photoshop, how they can cope under an uncontrolled environment.
Well, the response was astounding, I couldnt belive how many really wanted the job as an assistant photographer to a magazine, its the golden ticket for anyones photographic career..
The total amount of responses……. drum roll, drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr zero!!
yep zero, none, nada, zilch… see you all in starbucks!
(for this rant, I received a death threat from gofuckyourselfanddie.com, IP address, section 4 Petaling jaya. how pathetic some people can be)
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